Gun of Ashes

That was a power beyond imagination, a supernatural eeriness that reached reality through illusory voids, bringing salvation in sin.

The surging corrosion oppressed all life within its scope, continuously expanding its reach, claiming all it could touch as its domain.

Selyu sat on the ground in terror, then she heard it, the sound of war drums beating on that corpse.

”Yes, Lorenzo isn’t dead yet.”

Someone spoke in such a manner in the void, making everyone notice her presence.

Twisted flesh rose in the sea of fire, Lawrence’s head snapped off, yet the bizarre malignant growth continued upward, replacing the position of the original head, like a newly formed body, warily eyeing Lorenzo’s direction.

It had no consciousness, but instinct warned it that Lorenzo’s existence threatened its survival. Moving its twisted body, it picked up shattered metal, slowly advancing toward the source of the corrosion while another wave of corrosion spread from its body, carrying a sense of ultimate madness.

Forbidden powers interwove, forming a vortex of destruction that swallowed everything.

”Damn it, what’s going on!”

Arthur shouted, as the Geiger Counter screamed frantically, like a blaring siren, its indicator light jumping from steady green to glaring crimson in no time, as if descent from reason into the abyss occurred within an instant.

”Two... two sources of pollution!”

Someone shouted inside the command center.

No one had died; under that terrifying attack, both Lawrence and Lorenzo continued moving deeper into the forbidden zone.

Arthur inhaled deeply, as if making a ruthless decision in a flash.

”Notify Bola, proceed with a second bombardment!”

”We are within the bombing range now too!”

Red Falcon shouted.

”Don’t worry about that! If this doesn’t end here, it will only cause more trouble!”

Arthur said indifferently, but another voice, filled with panic, interrupted.

”Communications... communications are blocked!”

The corrosion of the Demons caused tremendous interference, and now this interference had designated this battlefield as a deadlock.

Arthur was momentarily stupefied, but soon made a rational judgment.

”Check the ammo reserves, we must extinguish it here.”

”But... maybe we can trust Lorenzo a bit.”

The corrosion had reached here, Red Falcon’s voice grew somewhat whimpering.

”Lorenzo?”

Arthur couldn’t understand.

”Two sources of pollution, right? It must be that Lorenzo is the other one.”

”But the Demon Hunter never did anything like this, he wouldn’t release corrosion...” Arthur realized something, his words stopped, then he slowly said.

”He’s breached the critical value... that damned Demon Hunter is becoming a Demon too!”

This was the subject of discussion when they ”met openly” with Lorenzo, the Secret Blood’s controllable range for Demon Hunters was only up to 30%, once exceeding that value, demonization would start, and when reaching 60%, demonization became irreversible.

Corrosion crashed like tides, battering rational beings within its range.

This was what Lorenzo had been wary of, once breaching the critical point, Watson would escape through his external corrosion, but now Watson had no intention of using others’ Gaps as a springboard to escape. Instead, she was searching for something until she discovered what she wanted behind layers of steel.

”Lift off first, we must break out of the corrosion range!”

After a brief struggle, Arthur made his choice.

This place had become an isolated hell; he must use his limited power to keep these uncontrollable Demons here forever.

The engines roared, massive sails on both sides adjusted angles, and the entire Sailing Dawn started to ascend slowly.

”Wait... the hatch is opening.”

Someone said trembling, then terror turned to madness, and they shouted loudly.

”The hatch is open!”

”What’s going on!”

Arthur was tormented to exhaustion, all the meticulous plans were spiraling out of control.

”I... I don’t know.”

That person slowly let go of their hand, showing clearly that no one was operating at the console, yet the buttons and levers appeared to be manipulated by some unknown force.

They constantly entered different commands, the machinery spinning wildly, functioning efficiently.

One by one, instructions were decoded from the flashing indices and speeding dials.

Key entered correctly.

Cables severed.

Fuel injection completed.

Safety lock disengaged.

Hatch opened.

Everyone’s hearts grew cold, as though this War Airship had gained life.

It seemed like a divine hand was orchestrating all of this, determining everyone’s fate, followed by a chilling female voice echoing through the silent space.

”Black Angel joins the battle sequence.”

”Black Angel joins the battle sequence.”

”Black Angel joins the battle sequence.”

”...”

Like a warning from the depths of Hell, she repeated those words continuously, no matter how the operators altered things, they couldn’t stop that cold voice.

Finally, Arthur’s hand began to tremble uncontrollably, as if caught in a massive vortex, each person nearing was swallowed by forbidden power.

”Is it... Galahad?”

Red Falcon said, feigning lightheartedness, knowing full well he couldn’t even activate the Armor of Original Sin without instructions from the command center.

But people are like that, always trying to deceive themselves to avoid the horrifying truth.

”No, it’s not me.”

At some point, the command center door had already opened, and Galahad stood by the door heavily, his chest heaving heavily, as if he’d just sprinted from somewhere.

”Not you?”

Arthur was shocked.

”How can it be!”

Who else but Galahad could briefly harness that terrifying power?

”Who’s inside that armor!”

Snapping out of it, Red Falcon shouted.

He knew very well, with current technology, they couldn’t verify the identity of the pilot inside the Armor of Original Sin, but it’s as if some terrible thought was urging him.

Perhaps the armor wasn’t piloted by a human...

The operator moved aside, making room for everyone to see the indicators.

Heart rate zero.

Blood pressure zero.

Brainwave response zero.

Zero.

Zero.

All the readings were zeroes, all tests indicating... there was no one inside the armor.

No one was operating it, and it couldn’t do it itself, because the first procedure of the Armor of Original Sin was to sever the Demon’s brain, yet now it was as if some ancient ghost had arrived, donning the Demon’s armor, and its ethereal consciousness had become embodied.

Fear from the unknown ensnared everyone.

Like a sacrificial ritual, Lorenzo killed himself, in exchange for an Angel descending from the Celestial Kingdom.

Thus, the black steel wings unfolded to the fullest, resembling the holy judgement’s cross.